CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Verastem, Inc., (NASDAQ: VSTM) a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing drugs to treat cancer by the targeted killing of cancer stem cells, entered an agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings (LabCorp®) (NYSE: LH) to validate biomarkers for its lead focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor VS-6063 in the development of an applicable companion diagnostic. The biomarkers will be the subject of clinical studies in ovarian cancer and mesothelioma, including a potentially pivotal study of VS-6063 in mesothelioma expected to initiate later this year. “The identification of patients most likely to benefit from targeted therapy is critical to accelerating the drug development and approval process,” said Henri Termeer, Verastem Lead Director.